Alex stepped off the bus, the chill of the evening air immediately brushing against their face. The apartment complex loomed just a few blocks away, its familiar silhouette blending into the quiet town skyline. As Alex adjusted the strap of their worn bag and started toward home, the sound of another set of footsteps behind them caught their attention. They turned to see Emma stepping off the bus as well, her expression as casual as if this had been her plan all along.
Alex blinked, unsure what to make of it. "You live here too?" they asked, hesitant.
Emma's lips curled into a teasing smile. "What a coincidence. I live in the same area as you. Mind if I walk with you?"
Alex considered her for a moment, their usual instinct to guard themselves battling with the unexpected warmth of her company. "Well, I wouldn't mind. If you want to, you're welcome to," they replied, their voice cautious but genuine.
The two walked together down the dimly lit road. The hum of distant traffic and the soft buzz of the streetlights filled the air as the chill deepened, their breath visible in faint puffs. Emma tucked her hands into her coat pockets, her steps light and unhurried.
Alex glanced at her, caught by how easily she seemed to belong in this moment. She noticed, of course, and turned her head slightly, her smile growing. "Something wrong?" she asked, her tone playful, though her eyes searched Alex's face with quiet curiosity.
"Nothing," Alex muttered, looking ahead again. "Just… thinking."
They reached a small bench under a streetlight near a park. Emma gestured toward it. "Sit with me?" she offered.
Alex hesitated but nodded, following her lead. The wooden bench was cold, but the surrounding quiet felt oddly inviting. They sat in silence for a moment before Emma spoke. "You're a thinker, aren't you? Always turning things over in your head."
Alex gave a small shrug, unsure how to respond.
"Let me guess," Emma continued, her voice soft but with a glimmer of humor, "you spend a lot of time wrestling with big ideas, the kind that don't have easy answers."
Alex smirked faintly. "Something like that."
Emma leaned back, her gaze drifting upward to the faint stars barely visible through the city's light pollution. "Do you ever think about that John Lennon song? 'Imagine'? The line about there being no heaven?"
Alex tilted their head, surprised by the question. "What about it?"
Emma hummed softly, almost like she was singing to herself. "'Imagine there's no heaven. It's easy if you try. No hell below us, above us, only sky.'"
For a moment, they both let the words hang in the cold air. Then Emma turned to Alex. "What would the world be like without heaven, do you think?"
Alex hesitated, drawing their notebook from their bag, fingers brushing against its frayed edges for comfort. "I don't know. For me, there was a time when I felt like I didn't belong, like I wasn't… human. I didn't fit in, and I didn't care to. There were days I wanted to disappear completely, like I was a rose wilting away in the dark." They paused, their voice quieter now. "But then something changed. I started seeing the light, little by little. And even though I don't know if heaven exists, I think the idea of it… gave me something to hope for. Something to reach toward."
Emma nodded slowly, her eyes thoughtful. "So, you think without heaven, there'd be no hope? Nothing for people to hold on to when things get hard?"
Alex considered this, running their fingers over the cover of their notebook. "Maybe. Without it, where would people find comfort when facing the end? Where would they find meaning?"
Emma smiled faintly, her voice as gentle as ever. "Maybe in each other."
Alex met her gaze, something unspoken passing between them. For the first time, they didn't feel the urge to retreat into their thoughts. Instead, they let the moment settle, the presence of another person grounding them in a way they hadn't expected.
The cold grew sharper, and Alex finally broke the silence. "We should probably get going. It's late."
Emma stood, brushing off her coat. "Mind if I walk you the rest of the way?"
Alex gave a small nod. "If you want to."
They walked in companionable silence, the warmth of their brief conversation lingering between them. As they approached Alex's apartment complex, Emma stopped and looked up at the building. "Guess I'll see you around, then," she said with a playful grin, her hands still tucked into her pockets.
Alex nodded, their heart feeling strangely lighter. "Yeah. See you."
As they watched Emma disappear into the night, Alex wondered if they were beginning to understand what she meant about finding hope in each other. The thought stayed with them as they climbed the stairs to their apartment, opening the door to the cold, familiar room. It didn't feel quite as empty as it usually did.